Many hurtful stereotypes surround those who identify as gay or lesbian. Giving up stereotypes is good, but that doesn't mean you have to give up your Christian convictions too.
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You're right, Alan, we do need to give up our stereotypes of homosexuals. In fact, they are "just like one of us".
So what's "a more accurate" view?
Rather than just stopping at "they are just like one of us", we need to realize that they are depraved sinners just like us who are dead in their trespasses and sin. When we adopt that biblical view of homosexuals, then our "religious convictions" will drive us to share the gospel with them: born out of a love for God's commands to "go and make disciples" and a concern for their eternal well-being!
Once again, you totally ignore the gospel (see 4:56-5:10)...sigh!
Posted by: e | January 12, 2015 at 07:02 AM
That's ok, though. I guess at least with Alan's approach they'll be comfortable and well-liked on their way to an eternal torment in hell. So we've got that going for them...
Posted by: e | January 12, 2015 at 07:06 AM
e, your posts are complete nonsense. You do know that Alan interacts directly with "Homosexual" people on a regular basis, right? And that he tries to persuade them to follow Jesus? What are we supposed to do, spit in their face? When someone is a sinner without God, you treat them with respect and dignity, period. That is the way Jesus acted, and also Paul, and pretty much most Christian leaders everywhere throughout time. Telling someone, you are going to hell (which by the way hell usually brings forward the idea of hellfire and not eternal conscious torment to most unbelievers) and then leaving it at that is not "preaching the gospel to them". I'd like to point out that many Christians also commit sexual sins, and it happens a lot. Just because people sin, does not mean you treat them badly or shove hell in their faces. I can't believe you would come on a blog like this and criticize Alan in this way. You need to go and ask God for forgiveness for a sinful attitude.
Posted by: JBerr | January 13, 2015 at 03:54 AM
I can understand re-evaluating obscure passages of Scripture. Much of that is needed more than ever today especially in the area of Eschatology. But to reject the clear truth of Scripture concerning Homosexuality is to reject God.
“Since God is truth, a contempt for truth is equally a contempt for God.”
― Gordon H. Clark, A Christian Philosophy of Education
Gordon Clark. (n.d.). Gordon Clark Quotes.
Posted by: dave | January 13, 2015 at 12:52 PM
Alan's track record of posts speaks for itself. In every single post of his on this topic, every time there is a glaringly obvious opportunity to exhort and encourage people to proclaim the gospel, instead what we get is some kind of watered down version of "love them into the kingdom", rather than the Biblical gospel of "repent and believe". Don't get me wrong, I'm all for "loving them into the kingdom", but not when it stops short of articulating the Biblical gospel. Actually, I'm at the point now where I wonder what Alan's definition of the gospel is...
I have not advocated for "[spitting] in their face", and have certainly not "[told] someone you are going to hell" and then just left it at that. Contrary to what Alan has put forth, I have always proclaimed that sin is real, homosexuality by its own admission is a "clamoring" sin in our culture today that begs for attention, and the Biblical response is to identify it as a sin and then tell the facts of Jesus Christ's perfect, sinless life, his sacrificial, atoning death in our place, his burial, his bodily resurrection, ascension and return, and our response to that reality, which is to "repent and believe" in him. That's the same message to all sinners; it's the exact quote that Jesus had on his lips when he launched his public ministry.
Dignity and respect? "[Treating] them badly?" How disingenuous it would be to see someone about to plummet off a cliff to their death and not warn them about their danger in the name of "dignity and respect"! Rather, dignity and respect demand that we proclaim the gospel to those who are lost in their sin. What a hypocritical shame if someone goes through this life feeling all cozy because they feel like they've been treated with "dignity and respect," and then end up in hell because their so-called "friends", in the name of "dignity and respect", had not the guts enough to risk the offense of the true gospel in obedience to Christ's commands! That actually amounts to being ashamed of Christ, of which he will be ashamed of us, and having a fear of man, rather than of the one who can cast body and soul into hell.
Rather than a sinful attitude, I hold that what I've stood for in my posts is THE biblical gospel, and anything else to the contrary is a false gospel. Lord, help us to stand firm in this and no other!
Posted by: e | January 14, 2015 at 06:52 AM